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Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: VAN-VIR |
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VERS DE SOCIETE , a term for social or familiar poetry, which was originally borrowed from the French, and has now come to rank as an English expression (see Fennell, The Stamford Dictionary of Anglicised Words). The use of the phrase as an English one is first met with at the opening of the 19th century. It is to be observed that it has come to bear a meaning which is not wholly equivalent to that of the French original
of his friends, and without the smallest intention of seeing them in print. The best of his effusions have preserved a certain freshness because of the neatness with which they are turned, but it can scarcely be said that they have any pre-tension to be called poetry. They were inspired by incidents in the private life of the day, and were largely addressed to a few friends of exalted rank, who were hardly less witty than the author himself, such as the duc de Nevers, the marquis de Lassay, the duchesse de Bouillon and the marquis de la Fare. In the collections of Chaulieu's works, which were very often reprinted, side by side with his own pieces will be found petits vers de societe indited by these great friends of his, and often quite as well turned as his own. To write such verses, indeed, was almost an accomplishment of good breeding. An enormous collection of them was brought together by Titon du Tillet (16761762), in his Parnasse Francois, where those who are curious on the subject may observe to satiety how ingenious and artificial and trifling the vers de societe of the French 18th century could be. The fashion for them followed upon the decline of an interest
If in England the expression vers de societe carries with it more literary dignity, this is mainly due to the genius of one man. Prior's Poems on Several Occasions, collected in 1709, presents us with some of the earliest entirely characteristic specimens of vers de societe, and with some of the best. Here the poet consciously, and openly, resigns the pretension of high effort and an appeal to Parnassus. He is paying a visit at Burghley House
dates
Ambrose
Spencer
" But where is now the courtly troop That once rode laughing by? I miss the curls of Cantelupe, The laugh of Lady Di," touches of real portraitureis a perfect example of vers de societe. Since the days of Locker, those who have attempted to strike the lighter lyre in English have been very numerous. Almost immeasurably superior to the rest has been Mr Austin Dobson , who is, however, something more than a writer of vers de societe.Collections of vers de societe of much excellence have been published by J. K. Stephen (1859-92), Andrew Lang (b. 1844), A. D. Godley (b. 1856), Owen Seaman (b. 1861) and A. R. Ropes (" Adrian Ross ") (b. 1859). (E. G.) End of Article: VERS DE SOCIETE If you wish, you can link directly to this article.
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